


Ragdoll

by OfDayDreamsAndSpicyMemes



Category: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Genre: AU, Ableism, American Sign Language, Angst, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Deaf Character, F/M, Gen, How Do I Tag, Sad with a Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 11:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16085348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfDayDreamsAndSpicyMemes/pseuds/OfDayDreamsAndSpicyMemes
Summary: Close to Halloween, Dr. Finkelstein’s greatest creation is ready to be unveiled, until something goes wrong; something that will change everything. AU, takes place a year before Nightmare. Rated T for some heavy stuff





	Ragdoll

Halloweentown was abuzz, as October 31st was close at hand. The Mayor was already busy enough, and now this; Dr. Finklestein came running-er, wheeling through town that day, exclaiming about his ‘greatest creation’, how he was ready to unveil it, that he had created a living thing, a woman, out of cloth and leaves and his own _brain_. He was hooting and hollering about how he saw her breathing; hurry back with him, she’s about to wake up. Dragged him and a few others back, saying that he was going to make history.

“It has a name, right?” Someone asks as he’s trying to get her awake. “Yes.” He says absentmindedly. “...Then try saying her name to get her up, maybe?” Another suggests. “Good idea! Sally...Sally!” He hollers. Nothing. “Sally, come on.” The doctor remarks, tapping her on the shoulder, and the thing on the table wakes up. Some gasp, but the whole room is quiet. Dr. Finklestein begins to brag to the others in the room, then turns to her and talks. But the thing is, she says nothing, more interested in what’s around her and the wonder of her fingers than what her creator has to say. “Hello? I’m talking to you.” The doctor says, and once again the observatory is dead quiet. Whispers emerge as she doesn’t even answer, let alone look up when he talks. “SALLY!” He yells as the whispers get louder, but again, she doesn’t look up. Dr. Finklestein claps his hands close to her face, and she flinches, startled, then looks at him. “Ah, there you are. How do you feel?” He asks, but still nothing. When she looks away, he claps his hands again, slaps a book, yells. Nothing. “...Dear burton, she’s...she’s _deaf_!” One of the vampires cries. “No, no she’s not, I promise!” The doctor says frantically, then grabs a flashlight, shines it in her ears. She squints at the bright. The mayor goes ahead and takes a look too. The doctor is the first to speak, looking somewhat devastated; “...Nothing is there that could cause muffled hearing.” Finklestein stands there for a minute, and people get the subtle message to leave, leaving the doctor and the mayor.

He looks defeated now, acting like the roof of his observatory crashed in on him. “Doctor, I am so sorry-“ “Leave me with her. I can fix her, I promise!” He says and scrambles to his tray of tools and struggles for about a minute to solve the problem. “SALLY!” Finklestein yells, and the mayor pulls him away. “Doctor, you cannot fix her; she can’t hear…and I suppose that’s that.” Mayor says, and he sighs, devastated again. “She can be taught to communicate-“ “How can she talk if she cannot hear?!” “Sign language. I will leave you be.” The mayor says, then leaves. She looks at him and smiles, blinks those pretty eyes. Finkelstein looks at her. “You’ll be ok, Sally. Promise.” He whispers. But he knows she can’t hear him.


End file.
